2-acetoxyfuran and derivatives thereof



2,7ll9fill3 Z-ACETGXYFURAN AND DEli-ilWATi /ES TlI-HEREUF Niels Konrad Friedrich Wilhelm Clauson-lliaas, Kiampenhorg, Denmark, assignor to Kemisk Vaerh Koge A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark, a iirm No Drawing. Application May 15, 1951, Serial No. 226,542

Claims priority, application Denmark May 20, 1950 2 Claims. (Cl. 2dtl-=-347.4)

This invention relates to 2-acetoxyfuran and to methods of preparing it.

Z-acetoxyfuran is a new compound having the formula:

By fractionally distilling the reaction product in vacuum, Z-acetoxyfuran is obtained as a colorless, stable liquid.

By hydrolysis of Z-acetoxyfuran, fi-formylpropionic acid is produced in accordance with the following equation:

HzQ -CH:

+ HOAG H CH0 COOH --OAc 21120 By alcoholysis of Z-acetoxyfuran esters of B-formyh propionic acid are formed according to the following scheme of reaction:

. HzC--CH2 OH ROH HO-COOR O HQOWCHB II It I I ROAc -OA0+2ROH CHO CODE wherein R signifies alkyl.

In the following description the invention is illustrated by specific examples which, however, are in no way to be considered limitative.

Example 1 50.0 g. of 2,5-diacetoxy-2,S-dihydroiuran are pyrolysed under 1 mm. in a quartz tube in an apparatus of Patented Map 3i, 1955 Bouveaults type, c. g. as described in C. Weygand: Organic Preparation, Interscience Publishers, New York, 1945, p. 144, using a cooling trap as condenser. The temperature of the quartz tube is kept at 480-500 C, and the diacetoxydihydrofuran is kept boiling at such a rate that the temperature at the top of the column remains at 6570 C. The reaction is stopped after about 2 hours when 8 g. of a black pitchy mass remains in the flask. The cooling-trap contains 38 g. of a partially crystalline produce which melts at room temperature to a pale yellow liquid.

This liquid is distilled under 15 mm. through a small column, and 29 g. of forerun, B. P.1s 65 C, are collected. By distilling further without the column, 5.10 g. of diacetoxydihydrofuran is regained.

The 29 g. of forerun are then dissolved in 50 cc. of ether and washed once with cc. of water and then four times with 25 cc. of 2-mo1ar acid potassium carbonate until no more carbon dioxide is evolved. The ethereal solution is then dried over sodium sulphate, the ether evaporated, and the residue distilled in vacuum. The main fraction distills at 49-495 C. under 9 mm., yielding 12.0 g. of 2-acetoxyfuran=35%; 11 214480.

CSHSOS (126.1) calc.: C, 57.1; H, 4.8. Found: C, 57.2; H, 4.8.

By boiling 2-acetoxyfuran with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution of dinitrophenyl hydrazine, the dinitro phenylhydrazone of B-formylpropionic acid is obtained (M. P. 197203 C.).

By adding 2-acetoxyfuran to an alcoholic sulphuric acid solution of dinitrophenylhydrazine, the dinitrophenylbydrazone of ,d-formylpropionic acid ethyl ester is formed (M. P. 113-114 0.).

Example 2 60.0 g. of 2,5-diacetoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran (brominecontaining product, prepared by the method described in Acta chem. scand. 4 (1950) 1233) is pyrolysed as described in Example 1. 10 g. of a black residue remain in the flask, and 45 g. of a partly crystalline product, collected in the cooling-trap, are distilled through a small column. Forerun 32 g., B. P.1s 65 C. Second fraction 6.5 g., B. P.1s=-97 C. 3 g. of a solid black residue remain in the flask.

The 32 g. of forerun are dissolved in 50 cc. of ether and washed, and the ethereal solution dried, evaporated and distilled as described in Example 1, yielding 1.5 g. of Z-acetoxyfuran.

I claim:

1. Method of producing Z-acetoxyfuran comprising the steps of: evaporating 2,5diacetoxy-2,S-dihydroiuran; subjecting the vapors to a pyrolysis at a temperature be tween 480 and 500 C.; and fractionally distilling the pyrolysis product.

2. Z-acetoxyfuran.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,342,607 Brunson et ai. Feb. 22, 1944- 2,514,026 Clauson-Kaas July 4, 1959 2,556,325 Fluchaire et a1. lune 12. 1951 OTHER REFERENCES Olsen, Acta Chim. Scand. 4 (1950) 462-472. 

2. 2-ACETOXYFURAN. 